


Like Nothing Else Matters

by aflawedfashion



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aflawedfashion/pseuds/aflawedfashion
Summary: When Anya wakes up to find Xander's already left for work at his new job with his awful boss, she finds the note he left for her.This was a tumblr request for the prompt "xoxo" + Xander/Anya
Relationships: Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Like Nothing Else Matters

As Anya repeatedly whacked her alarm clock until the incessant buzzing stopped, she realized that Xander had left for work early.  _ Again _ . If he were home, he would have woken her up with a kiss, teasing her for sleeping through the horrible sound. 

She missed the days before Xander found his latest job, the days when they used to start every day like that. Sometimes, on extremely rare occasions, she even missed his parents' basement where they made love at 11 o'clock in the morning because the house was empty, and neither of them had jobs to tear them apart. 

Maybe they had been using each other as a distraction, a way to forget that they didn't know what they were doing with their lives, but those days were romantic in their own way. They taught Anya to feel young again. After a thousand years of enacting vengeance for others, she had forgotten how to live for herself. He reminded her.

Anya smiled dreamily at the memory of making love against a rickety dryer. As she shoved her feet in her fuzzy slippers, she wondered why construction workers had to work such horrendous hours. Xander's boss didn't even allow her to visit over lunch, claiming she was a crude distraction and "a dumb one at that." 

Anya finally understood why her old vengeance demon friend, Rina, had a thing for smiting horrible bosses, and if Xander's boss made any more remarks about her intelligence, she'd definitely give Rina a call. 

And besides, Anya wasn't unintelligent just because she flunked math and bailed on high school before graduation. She had only been human for a few months before finals, and high school didn't even exist when she was actually 17, so how could she be expected to keep up with everyone who had spent four years there? It didn't mean she was dumb. 

_ Or did it?  _

Most days, Anya was utterly convinced she was the perfect woman. No childish mortal could compete with a thousand years of life experience, but other days a sliver of doubt weaseled its way into her consciousness and she found herself wondering if everyone else was right. Even Xander seemed ashamed of her sometimes. Anya didn’t care what others thought, but if the man who loved her was ashamed of her, then maybe there really was something wrong with her.

Anya wandered into the bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush and cursing her humanly insecurities when she noticed a yellow post-it on the mirror.

_ I know you're still letting that asshole get to you. Don't. You're amazing.  _

_ XOXO - Xander _

Anya smiled, her melancholy mood lifting as she heard the door open.

"Anya?" Xander called. "You still here?"

Her brow furrowing, Anya shuffled into the living room where Xander was standing with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. "I thought you had to work," Anya said.

"Not today." He smiled, nervous excitement tugging at his lips as he handed her the flowers. "I quit my job." 

"What? Why?" she asked as she looked into the flowers. "You make good money at that job. It pays for this apartment." 

"I know, but some things are more important than money." 

"Don't say that!" Anya recoiled in horror. "Nothing's more important than money. Without money, we lose our home, live in a box, and freeze to death on the streets! Money is all that stands between us and endless misery!" 

"We're not going to lose our home; I'll find another job,” Xander stated in a calm, reassuring voice that could have convinced Anya of anything. “There are a million construction jobs in this town. Buffy creates half of them herself while slaying." He took the flowers from her hands, setting them on the table before wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're more important than money." 

"I don't think you have to choose between me and money. You can have both." 

"Not at that job." Xander brushed her hair out of her face, regret flashing through his eyes. "The way Ron talks about you… it wasn't right. I… I should have quit sooner." 

"I got your note. I know you don't agree with him." 

"It's more than that, Anya. I got complacent. I ignored their insults because I wanted to fit in, and I figured that I knew the truth about you, so what did it matter if they didn't? You're the most amazing woman in this world. Their comments can’t change that fact, but after I saw the look on your face yesterday, I realized that they were hurting you. I didn't understand how much their words hurt you. I should have, but I didn't. This isn’t about me. It’s about you, and by letting them hurt you, I'm just as big of an asshole as they are, so I needed to make it right. I told him off, and I quit." 

"I love you," Anya said, the words inadequate for the range of emotions surging through her veins.

"I love you too."

"So let's forget about Ron. We need to start planning for your future." 

"Later," Xander said before kissing Anya so hard she felt the ground melt beneath her feet. "Right now, I need to properly apologize to the woman I love."

"Yes, you do." Anya pushed him towards the laundry room, tearing off his clothing as they walked. "So let's make love like we used to." 

"Like emotionally stunted fools?"

"Like nothing else matters."

"Not even money?"

"Not even money."


End file.
